Three in four people saw GP in past year

THREE out of four people attended their GP for a check-up in the past year, a study has revealed.

About half of those who saw their GP have undergone medical screening in the past year and a fifth have been in hospital for an operation.

The 2008 Pfizer Health Index that looked at a national sample of 1,000 people in Ireland over the age of 15 also found that men show a considerably more casual attitude to their health and seem more resistant to messages encouraging good health.

It found men are less likely to have attended a GP because they felt unwell or for health screening, but they are just as likely as women to have had an operation.

The Centre for Men’s Health Research and Training director Dr Noel Richardson said research suggested men took fewer preventative health measures and were less willing than women to seek medical help.

And men are less interested than women in learning more about their health.

“We need to look at how services can be targeted more effectively to meet their particular needs in the future. Men need to take control and be responsible for their own health,” he said.

Dr Richardson said the disparity in life expectancy between Irish men and women remained unacceptably high.

“Men die almost five years earlier than women do, have higher mortality rates at all ages and for all leading causes of death,” said Dr Richardson.

More hospital beds is the people’s highest priority,according to the survey but there has been a slight reduction in the numbers prioritising hospital beds since a similar survey was conducted in 2005.

The latest survey also found the number of people prioritising greater access to GPs has risen from 8% in 2005 to 12% in 2008 — a 50% increase in three years.

However, Irish people continue to rate themselves highly in terms of their health and the health of their immediate family, with the average person rating his or her health at almost eight out of 10.

This is despite the actual level of disease and ill-health remaining high in Ireland.

The study found women are increasingly concerned about their own health, rather than their families’ health.

It also revealed men tend to attribute much greater importance to personal finances and money, the cost of living and job security than women.

Younger people tend to worry about getting more sleep and giving up alcohol or smoking, whereas middle aged people are more concerned about stress, smoking and work. Older people are principally concerned about health information and body maintenance activity.